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B.C. premier says five conditions met on Trans Mountain pipeline

Premier Christy Clark making a statement after the federal government announced its decision to approve the Trans Mountain pipeline. Nov. 30, 2016. Photo courtesy B.C. Gov News flickr.

Premier Christy Clark says British Columbia's five conditions for approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline have been met.

Clark says one of the final conditions that was met will see Kinder Morgan Canada provide $1 billion to the province over the next 20 years to fund environmental protection projects.

Clark's announcement comes after the provincial government granted environmental approval to the expansion of the pipeline earlier today.

The federal government gave its approval for Kinder Morgan's $6.8-billion expansion of the pipeline late last year after the National Energy Board recommended it go ahead if 157 conditions are met.

The expansion would triple the capacity of the existing pipeline, which runs from near Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., and is expected to increase tanker traffic seven-fold.

B.C.'s conditions included world-leading oil spill response and prevention, First Nations participation in the project, a fair share of its economic benefits for the province, and successful environmental reviews.